This is anybody’s game
SENTIMENT will flood McHale Park on Sunday in the shadow of the Inishbofin tragedy. Out of curiosity people who wouldn’t normally attend the county final are likely to be there, for this is a final like no other . . . with both sets of supporters united in a common emotion.
The respective managers of Sunday’s finalists will have spared no effort to refocus the minds of the players directly affected by the accident that claimed the lives of Ger Feeney and Donal McEllin.
But while there are no limits to the resilience of the human spirit, the Feeneys and Tom Cunniffe will not be unaffected by the absence of their father and uncle respectively.
At their own request all three played for Castlebar on Saturday in a league match against Garrymore, and their performances had not suffered from the trauma they have endured.
Castlebar Mitchels can now only hope that memories of the two men will be an inspiration to them on Sunday in the pressure cooker atmosphere of the county final. As they strive to steer the club to their first county senior title in seventeen years, Ger will not be too far from the hearts of his sons.
Were it not for them the weight of their father’s substantial support would have been thrown behind Ballintubber. In fact, he and Donal McEllin had a jersey made in the colours of both clubs for Ger to wear next Sunday. It was all part of the fascination of a final on which the tragedy has now put a damper.
Ballintubber’s captain John Feeney is a nephew of Ger, and of course the whole Feeney family, including John’s uncle, county secretary Sean, have their roots in the club, and their hopes pinned on bringing the Moclair Cup to their community for the first time.
The emotional backdrop will not dilute effort, however. Victory will be pursued no less vigorously by both sides than in any of their contests leading to the final. The deceased men would want nothing less.
The appointment of Ballintubber boss James Horan as head honcho in Mayo deepens the interest, too, throwing him into battle with Peter Ford, who for some would have been the preferred choice to manage Mayo.
Each has stitched together a team worthy of a place in the final. In surmounting the challenges of Crossmolina and Ballina Stephenites, Ballintubber came of age.
After that, no team was invincible. A laudable recovery by Shrule/Glencorrib in the semi-final was resisted tenaciously . . . convincing proof of the Abbey men’s arrival.
Castlebar toughed it out with Breaffy unconvincingly in the quarter-final. But their patchiness primed them for the battle with Knockmore. Hard preparation honed in them sufficient self-belief to withstand the anticipated rally by the northern side, and to edge ahead in a nail-biting finish.
Using corner forward Michael Nestor in defence in the semi-final was an astute tactical move by James Horan. The manager was also clearly aware that the opposition regarded Alan Dillon as the real strength of the Ballintubber attack.
The Mayo star was . . . but not in the way Shrule expected. Their concentration on him left a gap in their defence through which Jason Gibbons stormed for a goal and a point, the decisive scores of the match.
Dillon may have seemed relatively innocuous, but his ability to draw backs out of position, to pop up anywhere and to use the ball intelligently is his gift to his team. No one will envy Pat Kelly his task on Sunday.
Nor can the O’Connors be overlooked. Neither Ruairi nor Padraig nor Cillian; nor indeed Alan Plunkett or Gary Dillon — all precious talents in a team galvanised by the strength of Gary Loftus, the Earleys, Cathal Hallinan, Danny Geraghty and their captain John Feeney.
The mental impact of the tragedy off Inishbofin is more deeply felt by the Mitchels, and how the bereaved players handle the pressure of the occasion may determine the outcome of the match. They have been fundamental to Castlebar’s progress throughout the championship. Any diminution of their performances could swing the game from them.
Castlebar don’t have a Dillon, but their resources are spread a little more evenly. Cunniffe, who missed the semi-final, will be back. Eoin O’Reilly, Donal Newcombe and Ronan Burke have dogged grafting instincts. Barry Moran is a handful for any full-back and the predatory qualities of Neil Douglas, Aidan Walsh, Danny Kirby and Niall Lydon has served them well.
Ford’s dilemma is who to omit. Last Saturday’s league match will have copperfastened some positions, and perhaps cast doubt on others . . . even if the tepid opposition exposed few flaws. On the bench he has plenty of options, anyone of which might fit his needs. But their form on the day is what really matters.
In ordinary circumstances this was never going to be an easy match. Being close neighbours each know intimately the strengths and weaknesses of the other . . . and how to go about dealing with them.
Castlebar have the greater spread of talent and might appear the stronger side. But like a dog with a bone Ballintubber will tear into the opposition, and won’t give up. It’s anybody’s game. But, ultimately, forces over which no one has control may influence the outcome.
Jack’s army win their final battle
JACK GRIMES’ Tourmakeady reserved their best performance of the intermediate championship for the final, and their two-point win over Burrishoole on Sunday was well deserved.
There was more fire in their play, more competence around the field… and their experience was the decisive factor.
Unlike the Gaeltacht men, Burrishoole had not been this far for some time. Their inexperience was glaring. While they had some fine footballers, hesitancy and wrong options denied them avenues to goal.
Yet, their refusal to give up kept their hopes alive right up to the end. Even though Tourmakeady¹s defence appeared impregnable there was always the possibility of a slip that would provide the vital breakthrough, and that chance buoyed Burrishoole’s determination.
James Moran’s fielding qualities at midfield were a feature of Burrishoole’s play. Yet Tourmakeady won most of the breaking ball in that area. The Gaeltacht men used the wings to better effect also, and man of the match Kevin Dolan was devastating.
The strong running of Tomás and Brian Naughton and the midfield nous of John Heneghan and Micheál O’Neill left no one in doubt about their determination to make up for the disappointment of last year’s defeat.
But it was the manner in which they defended when Burrishoole mounted a fight back in the final quarter that impressed those who watched. Marshalled by the experienced Brendan Prendergast, they pulled almost everyone behind the ball, and tackled as if their lives depended on it. And just when they seemed to slacken, they sprang a few big men from the bench to reinforce their resistance.
Colm McManamon has brought Burrishoole a long way. They’ll be the better for this experience, and we’ll hear more from the Morans and the McManamons and Michael Joyce.
Just a thought …
Only when you see Connacht’s poor representation on the All-Star and Ireland selections does it really hit home how the standard of football in the province has declined.
